Molly McCann is set to face Bruna Brasil in a Strawweight contest at UFC 304.
The bout is a one of numerous were announced today (May 21) as the UFC prepare to descend back on UK shores at the Co-Op Live arena on July 27, with UFC Welterweight Leon Edwards looking to defend his belt against Belal Muhammad at the top of the bill.
McCann has been one of the biggest characters on the UK scene since working her way to the Cage Warriors Flyweight belt. After signing with the UFC on the back of her Cage Warriors title win, McCann made her promotional debut in front of a home crowd at the Echo Arena Liverpool. It was not to be that night, as ‘Meatball’ was handed a second round submission loss to Gillian Robertson. After the setback, McCann found her feet in the UFC, picking up three unanimous decision wins against Pricila Cachoeira, Ariane Lipski and Diana Belbita. For the first time in her career, McCann was handed back to back defeats with Talia Santos and Lara Fritzen both beating her by way of unanimous decision.
When the UFC returned to London in 2022, McCann secured one of the biggest standout moments of the night with a stunning spinning back elbow finish against Luana Carolina. McCann’s highlight reel stoppages didn’t stop there, when McCann returned to the Octagon 4 months later to face Hannah Goldy. Once again, the spinning elbow was on display as it rocked Goldy against the cage before a flurry of strikes saw the referee step in and move McCann one step closer to a Flyweight title shot.
The Next Generation star then faced the surging Erin Blanchfield at UFC 281 but dropped a first round submission in the contest. For only the second time in her career, McCann was handed back to back defeats when she was submitted by Julija Stoliarenko in her comeback fight from the Blanchfield loss. Following the consecutive defeats, ‘Meatball’ made the move to Strawweight and faced Diana Belbita and bounced back to winning ways in impressive style with a first round submission of her own.
McCann’s next task at Strawweight comes in the form of Bruna Brasil. The Brazilian signed with the UFC following an impressive head kick victory on the 2022 season of the Contender Series against Marnic Mann and made her promotional debut seven months later against Denise Gomes. However, like McCann, Brasil’s promotional debut did not go the way she had hoped as she found herself on the wrong side of a second round TKO. She picked up her first UFC victory by earning a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Shauna Bannon three months later. Brasil has already made the walk once this year but suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Loma Lookbonnmee.
